Wheel.



W. W. BYAM.

WHEEL.

, 1911. 1,1 30,886, Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHBET 1.

W. W. BYAM.

WHEEL.

APPLIOATION FILED 0GT.6, 1911. v

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

EJEJ'EJEJEIEB [551 2 Meade:

UNITED sTA'rns PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. BYAM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, -ASS-IGNOR TO IBYAM TIRE AND RIMCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

V WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9,1915.

Application filed October 6, 1911. Serial No. 653,165. 7

To all whom it may concern Be it known that LIVILLIAM W. BYAM, a citizenof the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWheels, of which. the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide eflicient means for securingresilienttires to the rims of wheels. j

The particular purposes of my invention will more clearly appear fromthe following description and claims, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side view of part of awheel equipped with my invention. Fig. .2 is a perspective view of atire base segment.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a tire base segment adapted to be usedin connection tire segments. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional viewshowing in detail the mode of attaching the segments to the rim oppositethe end of the spoke. Fig. 9 is a view of a multiple block.

The invention claimed herein involves more particularly the means ofapplying the tire segments to the wheel, the means whereby the resilienttire material is secured to the rigid base being similar to thatdisclosed in my co-pending application 636,426, filed July 1, 1911.

As shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 the tire is formed of resilient material 1which may consist of a series of segments secured to rigid metal basesegments 2. Eachof the base segments 2 is provided in its outer surfacewith a series of depressions 3 and bolt holes 4 extend from the bottomof said depressions through the base segment. Bolts 5 provided withheads 6 consisting of radiating arms are molded in the tire segmentswhen the latter is formed. As described in my co-pending applicationabove referred to, the bolt heads 6 are wrapped with webbing or fabricbefore the material of the tire is molded about them and similar webbingor fabric extends across the base of the resilient tire. As analternative to the webbing, a coating of copper and shellac may beplaced'upon the bolt heads 6. In Fig. 5 the tire I is shown as beingforced into intimate contact with the outer surface of the base segment.In order to draw the tire into intimate contact with the outer surfaceof the base segment, it is necessary to apply considerable force theretoby rotating the nut'7, the projections 8 upon the inner surface beingnormally of less depth than the depressions 3 in thebase segments.

In order to avoid the necessity of having any parts overhanging orprojecting beyond the edges of the felly-band 9, I secure the basesegments 2 to the wheel by means of bolts 10 threaded at their outerextremities into the base segments 2 and passing through bolt holes inthe felly-band 9 and felly 11. For convenience of terminology, I havereferred in the claims to the outer part of the wheel including thefelly-band 9 and felly 11 as the rim, intending thereby to designate theouter portion of the fixed part of the wheel however constructed. Bolts10 are threaded at their inner ends and provided with heads 12 wherebythe segments are drawn into secure contact with the fellyband 9.

In assembling the segments upon a wheel it frequently occurs that asegment will come directly opposite the end of a spoke, therebyrendering it impossible to secure the segment upon the rim by means of abolt disposed in the position of the bolt 10 shown in Fig. 6. Thesegments designated A in Fig. l of the drawing occupy such a position.In order to secure segments occupying these positions to the wheel, Iprovide the form of segment illustrated in Fig. 3 and desig nated by thenumeral 2 and provide coacting parts upon the segment 2 illustrated inFig. 2 for the purpose of holding the segments 2 in place without bolts.Each of the segments whether of the form illustrated in Fig. 2 or thatillustrated in Fig. 3 is pro- 7 vided at its ends with inwardlyprojecting flanges 13. When assembled the segments contact with theouter surface of the fellyband 9 only along the inner faces of theflanges 13, the central part of each of the segments being spaced awayfrom the fellyband. By this means the same segments can be used uponwheels of all of the different diameters in use. If the segmentscontacted throughout their inner faces with the wheel rim it would benecessary to pro vide different segments for wheels of differentdiameters in order to secure a proper fit between the segments and rim.But by constructing the segments to contact with the rim only alongcomparatively narrow faces at their ends, the same segments may be usedfor wheels of different sizes. The circumferential distance throughwhich the inner faces of the flanges contact with the rim is so shortthat the difference in curva- ='5 ture of the rims of different sizedwheels does not interfere with the proper fitting of the segmentsthereon. Each of the inwardly projecting flanges 13 is provided with arecess 14 in which the projections 15 stamped 3' outwardly upon the rim9 are received. The

engagement of the lugs 15 in the recess 14: serves as an additionalmeans of holding the segments against sidewise displacement. Thesegments 2 shown in F ig. 3 are provided at their ends with outwardlyeXtending lugs 16 designed to be received in the recess 14 of thesegments 2 illustrated in Fig. 2 in such manner that the outer walls 17of the recess 14: lie snugly against the S outer surfaces 18 of the lugs16.

It will be apparent that whenever on account of a spoke it is impossibleto secure a segment ln place by means of a bolt 10, as illustrated inFig. 6, one of the segments 2 ?illustrated in Fig. 3 can be used. Insuch case the segment 2 is placed against the adjacent segment 2 withits lug l6 projecting into the recess 14 in the adjacent segment Thesegment 2 will be of sufiicient width 1 to extend beyond the spoke, andanother bolt held segment of the form illustrated in Fig. 2 will then beplaced adjacent the other end of the segment 2 with its recess 16Lembracing the other lug 16 of the segment 2. The

segment 2 will be held securely to the rim circumferential length ofsegments that may be found desirable;

In Fig. 9 I have shown a modification in the blocks which is moreparticularly adapt-3 I prefer to call the form:

ed to wide rims.

shown in Fig. 9 a multiple block. It consists of the blocks 2 which havea form similar to those previously described and are integrally joinedtogether along the lines 2. The outer blocks may be provided withflanges 2 in: which are apertures 2 for the holding bolts.-

While I have described one specific means of attaching the intermediatesegments by: engagement with the adjacent bolt held segsecured to therim. The specific form of thesegments described and claimed herein in aother respects may also be varied without departing from the spirit ofmy invention.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a rim,

a series of tire base segments, each of said segments contacting withsaid rim at itsends and being spaced therefrom between its ends, andmeans for securing said segments to said rim.

2. Ina device of the class described, a rim, a series of intermediateand directly secured base segments, each of said segments having aninwardly projecting flange at each end resting upon said rim, each. ofsaid flanges having a recess in its inner edge, outwardly projectinglugs upon said rim engaging said recesses, and means for securing,

said directly secured segments to said rim, said intermediate segmentshaving lugs engaging the flange recesses in the adjacent directlysecured segments.

3. In a device of the class described. a rim, a series of tire basesegments, each of said base segments having two inwardly projectingflanges extending transversely of said segments and rim, said rim andsegmentscontacting only on the comparatively narrow edges of saidflanges whereby said segments conform with substantial accuracy to rimsof different diameters.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed.

my name.-

WILLIAM W. BYAM. lVitnesses:

HENRY A. PARKS,- EDYTHE H.. ANDERSON.

Copies 01' this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, 1).0.

